Meta Knight Chronicles
by Neiyoko
Summary: Meta Knight starts getting dreams of his past and starts to question weather or not if he out lived his friends. Base in the anime Kirby.
1. Default Chapter

****

The sun glowed between the twin mountains that sat in the horizon. The creature watching the scene move on was known to be a Draklen. A race that would be mistaken to be monsters created by N.M.E. The between N.M.E. and the Star Warriors went on for many years now and was starting to its toll on the warriors. The monsters never get tired. How could they? They were created. That was aggravating the young Draklen. He was the commander of a group of warriors. A Division he liked to call it. Many of his soldiers were Draklens. They were the best in the Star Warriors army. However, the constant looking after the smaller ones, the other Star Warriors, during battle as been wearing them out and helping them fall prey to the monsters.

"Lord Brigade. We have word that a group of monsters have been spotted heading towards the valley." said the Draklen soldier. He had spiky hair and carried an Ax as his weapon. He wore silver armor with a dull gray cape. His sharp teeth poked out of the corners of his mouth like other Draklens but not very much. Brigade turned around to face his subordinate. Brigade was huge. He was at least two feet taller than his soldier was. His fangs were much more noticeable than any other Draklen in the squad. He wore dark gray armor with ever-darker gray cape. The armor plates that ran down his tail had a spike coming out of them and carried twin swords that only he could lift. He growled at the news. Monsters... It's always monsters.

"Tell everyone we move out in an hour." he told him. The soldier bowed and turned to leave. "And Galithan. Make sure the younger ones are sparred from this battle. We can't afford to loose any more young soldiers to these beast." Galithan nodded and left to tell the troops their orders.

Meanwhile, under Brigades nose ran a creature no one has ever seen before. It was the creature that would change lives and bring new hope to the front. The little blue ball ran as fast as his little legs could carry him. He needed to get to the valley. The monsters were right behind him and fatigue was starting to take over. He felt he almost didn't have the strength to keep holding the sword that was still in his hand. He must have been running for hours. Soon the trees started to thin out and the grassed seemed it was getting higher. He stopped to look for shelter to hide from the monsters that were pursuing him. He found a hole framed by stones and a tree. He quickly dove into it. He watched as the monsters ran past him, not knowing that he was there. He sighed in relief and in pain. His lungs hurt and his feet hurt from the running he did. After the pain finally left him, thoughts started to flood into his mind. He didn't know where he was, how he got there or why those monsters were after him. The only thing he knew was his name. Meta Knight. That's his name but who is he? Why is he here? The questions kept coming but he soon didn't want to think anymore. He was tired and wanted to escape this world for a bit. He closed his eyes and went to sleep.

The little guy woke up with fear in his heart when the ground shook. The movement of the ground was the reason for him waking up. He went deeper into the small cave hoping that he wouldn't be found. As he hid, he heard cries and screams of both monsters and Star Warriors fill the air. He didn't know what was going nor did he want to. Than all of a sudden the tree that helped hid him was torn back. The roots erupted out of the ground, causing dirt to fly everywhere. The small blue creature stood in the clear and open area in fear. He couldn't move even if he wanted to. His fear skyrocketed when one of the Star Warriors cried out "There's another one!" The creature watched as the Warriors fought against the Monsters. He didn't know how long it was going on or how long he was watching but soon it was over. The Monsters were all killed and many of the Warriors were injured. ****

"Hey! There's something over by that tree!" one warrior called out. The blue creature finally found his strength to high tail it out of there, but quickly ran into something. He rubbed his head and slowly looked up. Brigade towered the boy and his glowing orange eyes increase his intimidation. 

*GASP!* Meta Knight sat up in his bed when he woke up. He felt his skin was sticking to the blankets and sheets as he sweats. He breathed heavily as he tried to regain his breath. He looked around the room seeing Sword Knight and Blade Knight still sleeping in their beds. Meta Knight lied back in his bed looking up at the ceiling. This was the third night he had this dream. He never really had a dream of his past before. He never really thought about his past much. As he thought about the past, old faces started to come back to him. The ones he would call friends and comrades. After awhile sleep over took him and brought him back to darkness. The dream didn't reply itself nor did it continue just the dark, empty blackness of sleep. 


	2. The Beginning

It was a brand new day in Dreamland. The sky was blue, the grass was green, and Tuff was kicking the soccer ball back and forth with Kirby. Tiff watched the two plays in the clearing behind the castle walls. Meta Knight was also watching with tired and drained eyes. He felt like he hasn't slept in months when in reality it was weeks. The dreams came more and more in depth with each time. The same one over and over again with more information revealing itself as it went.  
  
He felt the dreams were robbing him of his sleep and couldn't do a thing about it. As he watched the kids he began to wonder. Why was he having the dream? Was it trying to tell him something? Something he had forgotten? It worried him. What if it was important? What was he to do?  
  
His body began to shake from the anxiety the questions caused. He began to feel sick and a little dizzy. His past wasn't pretty nor were his experiences in the war. The war against N.M.E had been horrible. He watched his friends and comrades die as the Monsters roared by. Meta Knight tried to fight off that dreaded feeling but lost every time. Something else was bothering him as well. He felt uneasy for some reason. He began to feel restless as he watched Kirby. Something worse than his dreams is going to happen. He could feel it in his whole body.  
  
Unknown to Meta Knight, Sword Knight and Blade Knight were watching him, feeling trouble. Meta Knight never had nightmares that would disturb his sleep nor as he ever shook in worry.  
  
"Something's wrong with him Blade. He's never acted like this before," Sword looked at his friend. Blade nodded in agreement.  
  
"This has been going on for three weeks now. What are we going to do? " Blade asked looking up at Sword. Sword lowered his head. He didn't know what to do either. His leader was acting strangely and he was starting to feel like something was going on that they don't know about. Blade and he never really fought in the war, but knew what was going on and understood the danger. Sword understood that he doesn't have any special abilities as Meta Knight did, but he could sense the uneasiness in his leader's pose. He finally gathered up the strength and courage to go up to his master. Sword walked out from his hiding place and approached Meta Knight.  
  
"Is something wrong, Sword Knight?" Meta Knight asked without turning around. He knew whom it was by the steps sounded. He knew they would confront him about his nightmares sooner or later.  
  
"Meta Knight, we're worried about you. We know about your bad night and that you're uneasy about something. Please tell us what's bothering you. Maybe we can help you," Sword said. Meta Knight had taken well care of him and Blade. It was the least he could do to repay Meta Knight for his kindness.  
  
Meta Knight was silent for several minutes. "I'm not sure what going on myself. The dreams are images of my past. The past I have forgotten over the years." he said looking up to the sky. The sky was a light blue with a few puffy clouds. It was such a beautiful day. Meta Knight sighed as he turned around to face Sword. "I'm not to sure what this other feeling is but I'm sure there is nothing you can do for me. " He looked at Sword with weary eyes.  
  
Sword didn't say anything in response for it was futile to argue with Meta Knight. He was stubborn in his decisions. Sword looked back at Blade who had also come out of hiding. He turned back to Meta Knight and saw he was again looking at the sky. He felt peace looking at the slow moving clouds that passed over head.  
  
All of sudden, flashes of memories invaded his mind. He staggered back a bit, and Sword and Blade saw Meta Knight's distress. He saw images of faces from the dreams and faces he remembered already. He saw one image that stood out the most. Her skin was a light tan with dark tan hair. Her eyes glowed bronze and had a calm look to them. When the memory flashes were over he leaned against the wall. It only took a few seconds but it was enough to disturb the old soldier.  
  
"Meta Knight! Are you okay?" Sword and Blade ran to his side. Meta Knight's whole body was shaking. They never saw Meta Knight scared or in any kind of distress before and this scared them. They helped him to his feet and brought him to a place where he could sit down.  
  
"Meta Knight?" Blade was as concerned for him as Sword was.  
  
"I'm all right. I just got light-headed from lack of sleep." Meta Knight said to reassure Sword and Blade. He rubbed his head as a headache started to set in. Sword frowned under his helmet.  
  
"No you're not. It's those dreams isn't it? Why don't you let us help you? You can talk to us," Sword said persistently.  
  
"I'm fine. I just need sleep. The dreams will pass soon." he told them. He hoped that the dreams would pass. He didn't know how long he could keep this up. He knew if another monster was ordered Kirby might need him for advice or for protection. He got up from his sitting position.  
  
"Where are you going?" Bladed asked with worry in his voice.  
  
"To bed. I'm getting a headache from the lack of sleep as well. Please, watch over the children while I'm in bed. If something happens come get me," he said as he headed towards into the castle.  
  
"Meta Knight?" Sword said reaching his hand out a bit. "If you need anything. Lets us know. " he continued. Meta Knight nodded and disappeared into the darkness. Sword sighed in frustration. He wanted to help Meta Knight to become normal again but there was only so much he could do. He turned to Blade.  
  
"Let's keep an eye on Kirby for Meta Knight," he said. Blade nodded and the two friends headed down to the courtyard. They still thought about Meta Knight's problem but still tried their best to do their job well.  
  
Meta Knight walked wearily down the hallway. All those memories were sapping his strength from him. As he walked he let his mind wonder. It brought more memories but none of them was ones that gave him dread. He was able to focus on the image of his mentor and the one he would call friend for the first time.  
  
Brigade was huge compared to Meta Knight. He was large but kind and gentle. He treated Meta Knight like a brother and not just some kid that was picked up from the streets. Brigade taught him how to fight the monsters and how to survive.  
  
He began to feel lonely, as he had felt before he met Sword and Blade. Those two didn't know how much they already helped him. He had friends and comrades again. Their presence helped Meta Knight get through it all.  
  
The thought of the time Brigade found him came to his mind once more. He remembered the faces of the warriors that were there. Even Galithan, Brigade's right hand man looked nasty but was just as gentle as Brigade.  
  
Meta Knight sighed once more as he reached his room. He could feel his eyes closing as he walked in. Maybe the dreams wouldn't come to him this time. Maybe he'd be able to get some sleep. He didn't want any more dreams. Meta Knight climbed into bed and pulled the covers over him. His eyes quickly closed and darkness was the only thing there. He fell asleep hoping for a dreamless sleep, but his subconscious had other plans. The dream began to play itself once more. However, instead of being a replay, it continued where it had left off.  
  
Brigade looked at the frightened, blue creature with a questioning look. The creature quickly got up and looked around. Star Warriors who wanted to see every single monster dead surrounded him. His body began to shake in fear as backed up into the tree.  
  
"Let's kill it before it becomes a threat!" one warrior cried out. The others cheered the idea on.  
  
"We will not do anything to him." Brigade said in a loud, stern voice. The cheering quickly ended. Brigade knelt down to the creature. His head was huge and the small blue ball was getting even more scared by the minute. "What's your name?" he asked.  
  
"M. Meta Knight." he stuttered. That was the only thing he could truly remember. He closed his eyes tightly as Brigade reached to him with his massive claws. Meta Knight then felt a soft touch of reassurance. He opened one eye only to see Brigade smiling softly at him. "Y. you're not going to hurt me?"  
  
"No, of course not. I want to help you, it must be scary living out here all by yourself." Brigade spoke in a soft gentle voice. He knew that his size was pretty intimidating and wanted to make up for it. "My name is Brigade. Would you like to come back with me? It's much safer and there are no monsters."  
  
No monsters, Meta Knight looked at the battlefield and saw the monsters that were chasing him earlier. He began to feel safe now that they were gone. The offer sounded tempting but why would he want to help him? Well, if there weren't going to be any monsters he might as well take the offer. Meta Knight hesitated before nodding yes. He heard some of the warriors say 'Jeez' and much more under their breath. Brigade stood straight up and turned to leave.  
  
"Would you like a ride? You look pretty tired." he asked. Meta Knight again hesitated before he nodded. Brigade moved his long tail towards Meta Knight and motioned him to climb on. Meta Knight did so and climbed up Brigades back to his shoulders. "Hang on tight." Brigade told him before starting to walk back. His troops followed them and gossiped about what Brigade was doing. Meta Knight didn't care what they were saying. He was tired and his body ached. He rested his head on Brigade's hair and closed his eyes. He quickly fell asleep as Brigade took him the long distance to the camp. 


	3. The Chase is On

Meta Knight woke up in a warm bed, covered with soft blankets. He was on his stomach and still felt a bit drowsy and hungry. He felt his stomach bubble when it growled. He sat up, stretching and yawning. He sniffed the air as the aroma of baked potatoes and stew reached him. Meta Knight looked over to the side of the bed that was open and saw a plate full of stew waiting for him. He was about to take it but stopped after thinking why it was there.  
  
"Aren't you hungry little one?" a familiar voice asked him. Meta Knight looked across the room to see Brigade sitting by a fire smoking a long pipe. It was than Meta Knight realized he wasn't at a base. He was in a cave home, Brigade's home. Brigade turned to Meta Knight whom was looking at his bowl. He was still unsure of what to do. Brigade got up and walked over to Meta Knight. "Here, eat this. It's yours." he said picking up the bowl and gave it to Meta Knight. Finally, Meta Knight took the bowl and started to eat. His eating speed picked up once he was comfortable. Brigade smiled at the boy. He was pleased to see that Meta Knight was eating.  
  
"Meta Knight, why were you at the battle field the other day?" Brigade asked as he sat down by the bed.  
  
"I was running. From the monsters. " He answered after a long pause.  
  
"Do you remember why?" Brigade did want Meta Knight to feel like he was in danger, nor did he want Meta Knight to feel like he was being treated like the monsters.  
  
Meta Knight shook his head no. He couldn't remember anything before the chase. Brigade saw that the child was confused and most likely upset. He patted Meta Knight's head in reassurance. Meta Knight looked up at Brigade. The poor thing looked as if he was going to cry. He was all a lone in the world. In a world filled with terror and death.  
  
"There is no need to be afraid little Meta. As long as you're with me, nothing will harm you," Brigade said. Meta kept looking at him with mixed emotions. "I'll take care of you," he said with a tender, fatherly voice.  
  
Meta put the bowl down and leapt to embrace Brigade. Brigade was so big that Meta was only able to hug his leg. He buried his face into the armor that Brigade wore. Brigade set his hand on Meta's head. He would take the role of father for the boy. He would teach him everything he knew, from a warrior to a kind-hearted soldier.  
  
"Come. If you're going to stay than you should become aquatinted with your surroundings," Brigade said as he stepped over Meta and headed outside. The boy watched him leave before quickly following. His eyes weren't prepared for the bright light from the sun; he quickly covered them with his hand. As his eyes adjusted to the light he could hear voices from a number of different sources. There were sounds of metal work and wheels turning as wheelbarrows were being pushed across the street. He slowly opened his eyes to see an almost village type setting.  
  
Meta was amazed at what he saw. It was like nothing he ever seen before in his life. He turned to ask Brigade a question but soon found that he wasn't there. Meta was standing in the streets, alone. The small boy quickly panicked, not knowing what to do. Looking around frantically, he tried to find Brigade. The warrior was nowhere in sight. Meta stood there, afraid of what could happen if he wandered off. Many warriors walked past him, not even noticing that he was there.  
  
"Meta! Over here!" Brigade called from a distance. Meta looked in the direction he heard Brigade and saw him. With a smile on his face, he ran over to his new mentor. The older soldier was talking to a fellow comrade about a matter that little Meta didn't understand. After the conversation ended, Brigade looked down at Meta.  
  
"Now, lets walk around so you can get comfortable. The place you're in is called 'Star Village'. Almost all of the residents are Star Warriors." he explained as he walked with Meta. The boy looked around as Brigade told him about the little village. He explained to the future soldier that the monsters never attacked here because of the fact that they were well prepared.  
  
Brigade brought Meta to the training circle where the rookies were practicing with the best. One of tutors was a Draklen with an ax. He was strong and a bit careless, but very skilled. At one point he broke the trainee's sword in half with his weapon. Meta Knight was amazed by the event that just happened. The big guy helped the kid up and handed him the broken blade.  
  
"Galiathen!" Brigade called over. His friend looked over to them. Meta Knight felt his heart racing when Galiathan came to them. He wasn't as big as Brigade was; but then again no average sized Draklen was as big as Brigade was.  
  
"So the runt finally woke up," he said, looking down at the boy. Meta Knight puffed a bit in resentment. Galiathan laughed at Meta's expression.  
  
"Yes, and he seems to be unharmed as well." Brigade smiled at Meta.  
  
"You going to train him?" Galiathan asked.  
  
"Not if he doesn't want to. I'm sure-"  
  
"I want know how to fight. All I remember is running. I don't want to run any more." Meta Knight cut Brigade off. He looked into the training circle and imagined himself being there, learning how to fight.  
  
"Are you sure?" Brigade asked, lowering his head so they can see each other better. "It will be long and hard. We won't go easy on you just because you're a kid or because you're alone."  
  
"I don't want you to go easy on me. The monster won't," Meta said as he looked up at Brigade. He nodded his head and began to talk to Galiathan about the training. His words began to fade and the images began to darken as Meta Knight began to wake from the dream.  
  
His present world began to emerge from the darkness and form around him. He stared at the ceiling as he thought about the dream. He remembered the lessons his mentor taught him. He felt pain in his heart when he thought about Brigade. He always felt that he was more like a father than a mentor was. Brigade was a great Warrior, greater than Meta Knight ever was.  
  
He remembered how quickly Brigade brought down his prey. He never let his guard down and always protected the ones that needed it. Brigade never left anyone behind, not even the dead. He was loyal to everyone, not just to his friends but to the people as well. Meta Knight couldn't recall any time that Brigade lost a battle.  
  
Galithan was good too. He hadn't fallen to the monsters either, at least not to Meta Knight's knowledge. Galiathan was just as good as Brigade. He thought of the battles that Brigade and Galiathan fought so many years ago. They never lost, he thought. After awhile of thinking and comprehending the past, Meta Knight slowly realized a question that he had asked himself so many years ago before coming to serve King Dedede.  
  
If Brigade and Galiathan were so good, than why were Kirby and Meta Knight the last Star Warriors? Had they really been defeated? They couldn't have, Meta Knight shook his head in disbelief. He got up from his bed and headed to the door. He knew they were alive but he just didn't know were. He headed out of his room and walked down the halls. He hoped that the King would be tired of monsters for one day and not order any. Meta Knight didn't feel in the mood to go run over to Cappy Town to terminate a monster. His mind wandered to the past again and brought back memories of his comrades. It was a nice memory.  
  
Sitting around the fire and exchanging stories about the battlefield. He remembered getting up and leaving the circle; he didn't want to hear about who died or who was almost there. He remembered the small cliff that he went to that night to escape from the war. It was night and the stars were out making their normal music in the sky. Looking up to the sky brought him sorrow, for he knew he might not see them again after the next day came. He sighed deeply as if was already old. He felt a pair of hands gently touch his back. He would have turned and demanded who was there but he already knew who it was.  
  
"You shouldn't be here. " He said as the hands gently began to rub his back.  
  
"No one should be here." answered a soft voice from behind.  
  
"Women shouldn't fight," he said back, his voice firm and stubborn.  
  
"Why must you be so hard? The Star Warriors need as many people who are willing to fight as they can get. Including women," the young girl said.  
  
"Why don't you take this seriously?" he asked turning to the girl to finally face her.  
  
"I do take it seriously. But maybe you're taking it too seriously," she said, looking at him with worry in her eyes. Meta Knight didn't answer her and turned back to the stars. There was silence between the two friends for a while. The girl finally gave up and left him to the stars.  
  
Meta Knight felt his heart break when he thought about the girl. He had no idea how many hes actually cared for her until the war had ended. As he walked down the hall, he felt a knot form in his chest and water building up in his eyes. It was a good thing he wore a mask because than everyone would have seen the old soldier cry.  
  
Meanwhile, in his thrown room, King Dedede was contemplating on how to get rid of Kirby. The little pink pain in the neck already took down two of N.M.E.'s strongest monsters that were tamed. What a minute, what if the monster wasn't tamed? Would that work against Kirby? If it were not tamed than that would mean a chance of the castle being totally destroyed. Dedede thought hard about this; did he really want to risk his kingdom?  
  
Escargoon fidgeted in the silence. He never saw his king act this way before. Normally King Dedede would just go and order a monster. This time he was actually thinking about what he wanted and what he was looking for in a monster.  
  
King Dedede was about to call up Nightmare Enterprises, when he realized one of the flaws that always popped in his plans, Meta Knight. Meta Knight always seemed to be there when Kirby was having trouble. Dedede thought hard about how to move around his obstacle and decided to go ahead and order a monster that hasn't been tamed like Fire Lion or Wolfwrath. He'd get rid of Kirby and Meta Knight. Hit two birds with one stone.  
  
The Monster delivery machine formed in the throne room and the TV's came out of the walls. The N.M.E. Executive appeared on the screen with his normal smile.  
  
"What can I get you today? We've got monsters lined up the wall waiting," he said, trying to sell the monsters that were there.  
  
"I've been thinking up how to get rid of Kirby," Dedede started.  
  
"You thinking? Now that's dangerous," the Executive commented.  
  
"I need a monster that will get rid of Kirby and Meta Knight."  
  
Escargoon was taken by surprise when he heard the King say he wanted his Captain of the Guard taken down as well, although he understood the reason why he would want try to eliminate Meta Knight along with Kirby. Meta Knight did nothing but help Kirby win the battles against the Monsters. With Meta Knight out of the way Kirby would be easy picking.  
  
"Then I've got the perfect monster for you. His name is Luka, our swordsman monster," He said as the creature was being downloaded. After a few minutes, the monster was there. Once the lights dimmed, it stood up and looked at Dedede. His head was in the shape of an arrowhead with sharp horn like crests extending from the eyes. The body was thin, but muscular in the arms, legs, and chest. The claws were long and thin with a sharp needle point tips.  
  
"What can it do? If Kirby swallows his weapons he'll turn into Sword Kirby!" he complained.  
  
"That would be true if he had any weapons. You see, he uses his long claws to do the work of the sword," the Executive explained.  
  
Dedede looked at the monster as it stepped off the platform. "This one will listen to me?" he asked.  
  
"Oh yes he will, but he'll carry out his assignments with a wild fury. He may listen to you, but he's still wild."  
  
Dedede smiled in a sinister way at the creature. "Your first assignment is to get rid of Meta Knight and Kirby right away. I don't care how you do it and I don't care where they end up. Just make sure that their life line has snapped," he told the creature in front of him. Luka smirked as he new he was going to enjoy this hunt. He turned and walked to the door and out of the room, and walked down the hall in search for the scent of his adversaries.  
  
Sword and Blade were walking through the hall talking about Meta Knight. They were still very worried about him. They had been watching Meta Knight for a few weeks and haven't seen much of a difference in his condition.  
  
"He's not telling us something I'm telling ya! He's been waking up at night in a panic. Walking around in a daze, as if he doesn't realize he's still in the real world," Sword said in an irritated voice. Bladed nodded in agreement. Even though Meta Knight was their superior, he was still their friend.  
  
Suddenly they heard a crash coming from somewhere down the hall. They hurried down the hallway to see what was going on and found Luka making a mess. He stared at them as if figuring out who they were. Once he knew that they weren't his prey, he took off down the hall.  
  
"What was that!?" Sword looked down at Blade.  
  
"I don't know but we should look for Meta Knight and tell him about this monster!" Blade said. The two young soldiers ran through the castle looking for Meta Knight. Unknown to them, Meta Knight was down in the courtyard watching the kids play. 


	4. The Journey

Meta Knight stood in the shadows watching the kids play in the courtyard. It reminded him of when he was young and at the village with Brigade. There were some kids around his age in the area and they also played. Not the games the children here played but they did play. As he watched the children, Meta Knight made an effort to watch Kirby closely. The child was moving faster and thinking up ways to get out of situations instantly as they occur, even when he's playing. It gave the old veteran relief that the boy was starting to mature in a way. Now if only he could talk, then Meta Knight would be able to train Kirby and answer any questions he would have. The dreams were giving Meta Knight an ill feeling. Were they omens of what was to come? The stakes were too high to dismiss the dreams with out concern.  
  
"Tuff! That wasn't funny!" Tiff complained. She put her fists on her hips and looked at her little brother in annoyance. Tuff was laughing like crazy with Kirby looking puzzled at him and his sister. The girl just groaned as she began to brush of the mud that Tuff had led her to while playing. Meta Knight chuckled a bit, remembering how it was like to be young. He wished he could go back to those days.  
  
'What am I thinking?' the question popped up as if another person thought's came to him.  
  
'Why am I thinking about this now? What's going on? I've been here for years now and not single thought of my past has come up.' He leaned against the wall thinking. This wasn't like him at all. A child like feeling was taking over Meta Knight. The fear he felt long ago slowly started to build until he tried shaking it off. What should he do? Should he try to train Kirby for what might come ahead? There were few options to choose from in this situation.  
  
"Meta Knight! We have a problem!" Sword called to his leader with Blade close behind him. When they reached Meta Knight, the two subordinates struggled to regain their composure.  
  
"What's wrong? What happened?" Meta Knight threw his cape behind him. The situation must be terrible if his loyal followers were exhausted from having to look for him.  
  
"There's. *pant* a monster roaming the halls!" Blade huffed and puffed as he delivered the information.  
  
"We've never seen anything like it before." Sword said with the sense of urgency in his voice.  
  
"We must find it before it finds Kirby!" The old veteran pulled out his sword. Fear overwhelmed him when he saw Blade and Sword's expressions. Quickly turning to look towards the kids, Meta Knight saw the creature starring back at them. The children; however, never even noticed it. It had on a smirk on its face as if it knew their weakness. In one swift motion it attacked Kirby, imbedding a long, sword-like talon into the ground. The young boy squealed as he flew back a few feet.  
  
"Kirby!" the group said in unison as they all ran over to their friend.  
  
"Tiff! Tuff! Take Kirby and run! Go anywhere but here!" Meta Knight instructed as he got into his fighting stance. Sword and Blade unsheathed their own swords, prepared to attack the creature. The kids didn't bother in answering their old friend but did as he told them. Tuff picked Kirby up and ran towards the castle gates with Tiff close behind.  
  
Luka didn't even bother trying to go after them. He knew he would eventually get them. Killing Star Warriors was his specialty and never failed on his missions. His muscles tensed as his enemies advanced at him. First Sword, who was easily swatted to the side by Luka's claws, then Blade, catching at least his hand. Meta Knight made the last attack, lunging at the creature with his sword in the air. Luka blocked his attack then launched an attack of his own, nearly impaling the only experienced soldier to the ground.  
  
Sword slashed at the beast, cutting its thigh making it very irritated at Swords presence. The assaults went on and on for almost an hour with neither of the three making any difference. They were by the drawbridge of the castle and slowly making away through as Luka kept pushing them back.  
  
"Sword. Blade. Go find the kids! I'll keep it busy!" Gripping the hilt of his sword Meta Knight charged it knowing that it would do no good. With out question or bothering to argue on how pointless it was, the young soldiers ran toward Whispy Woods where they believed the kids were. Meta Knight tried his best to keep the creature from going any further than it already had gone. Desperate, he leapt back and got ready for the one last trick up his sleeve, the Sword Beam.  
  
Jumping into the air, the sword was emitting a bright glow before releasing the beam that could save Meta Knight's life. In one smooth motion, Luka dodged the one thing that could have defeated him. Meta Knights eyes widened as the beast smirked sinisterly at his opponent. What the monster didn't know was that the beam had hit the castle and caused the walls to collapse. Just as Luka was about to attack it heard the debris falling. Looking up the debris coming towards him, he leapt out of the way.  
  
The dirt cloud provided the necessary cover for Meta Knight to get away. Sheathing his sword, the brave warrior turned and ran like hell out of there. Luka didn't see what direction his quarry ran off to but he didn't worry. He never failed a mission and wasn't going to fail now.  
  
As Meta Knight ran, he tried to remember the last time he ran from a battle. No memories came to him, he was in a thought lock. All he wanted was to get to Whispy Woods before the creature did. Minutes felt like seconds as he ran to the woods. Turning his head to the direction he came in, Meta Knight made certain he wasn't being followed, but than again, that creature showed considerable hunting skills, so he wouldn't have to follow them. However, he kept looking back to make sure. All of a sudden, when he turned to see where he was going, he tripped over a familiar pink ball. He somersaulted through the group, hitting a tree. When it was over everything was upside down to him. The whole group just starred at the elder in a mixture of shock and amusement. It was a good thing that Meta Knight was wearing his mask so none of them were able to see how embarrassed he was.  
  
"Are you all right Meta Knight?" Sword asked as he helped his leader to his feet.  
  
"Yes, yes. I'm fine. Did everyone make out here all right?" the old veteran asked.  
  
"Yeah. But that was before you ran into Kirby." Tuff pointed out. Kirby was walking around like he was drunk or dizzy. Eventually he lost his balance and fell on his rear.  
  
"We can't stay here," Meta Knight said, getting Kirby to his feet. "It will track us here and if it does, we won't stand a chance," he finished.  
  
"But where can we go? There's not another village for miles," Blade said. Sword nodded in response.  
  
"We have no choice. This is no ordinary Monster we're dealing with. It's most likely tracking us as we speak," Meta Knight quickly got the kids together. "We'll figure out what we'll do as we head to the next town."  
  
"But what about our parents? They'll get worried about us," Tiff pointed out. "We should try and tell them what's going on."  
  
"We'll never make it back to the castle alive, Tiff." Meta Knight put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm afraid you're in deeper than you think."  
  
"Meta Knight." Blade looked into the woods. There were sounds of over sized footsteps crushing twigs and leaves.  
  
"Run! Hurry!" he ordered the group. Sword picked Kirby up and all ran like hell through the woods. Tiff and Tuff were ahead of Meta Knight and his followers.  
  
"I don't know how much more of this I can handle!" Tuff gasped for air as he ran. They had run out of the forest and were now running through the fields that marked the edge of King Dedede's kingdom. Meta Knight looked behind him to see how far the creature was from them. The field was clear behind them and was getting smaller as they all retreated.  
  
"It's all right now! I don't see it!" Slowing down to a stop, Meta Knight panted and tried to regain his breath. The rest of the group stopped not too far away from him doing the same thing. It was far too late to try and get back to the castle for supplies or let people know where they were. Tiff looked in the direction of her home and wished she could go back. She never thought she would want to go back to the castle so badly. The young girl began to think whether or not she would ever see it again.  
  
"What a mess we're in. huh Tuff." she said sadly as she looked over to her exhausted brother and Kirby. They didn't say anything because of how hard they're breathing.  
  
"We better head to the village before that thing catches up with us." Sword advised. Meta Knight nodded in agreement.  
  
"You two carry the kids. They seem too tired to continue the journey." Taking Kirby in his arms, Meta Knight started to continue the journey. Sword and Blade picked up the two kids and let them ride on their backs. They marched across the fields and plains towards to the village that they thought would give them shelter. They walked for hour's non-stop. Sword and Blade began to feel fatigued from walking. They pushed themselves to keep up with Meta Knight who didn't show any signs of fatigue. After another hour Sword couldn't take it.  
  
"Meta Knight. we should stop." He panted heavily as he stopped.  
  
"We have no choice but to keep going Sword." Meta Knight insisted.  
  
"You don't have to carry us any more Sword. We can handle the rest of the journey." Tiff said in her soft gentle voice. The soldier nodded and gently let her slide off. Blade did the same thing, as did Meta Knight. With out a word Meta Knight continued towards the village. Sword stayed silent as they walked. As they walked, Sword retreated into his thoughts. He knew Meta Knight was older and wiser but even so, it was getting late and with out sleep, they won't get too far the next day. He looked onward to see that they were going to be walking down a hill. Tuff ran ahead to see what they were going to find at the bottom.  
  
"Look! It's the next town!" Tuff said with pure joy. Tiff ran over to her brother smiling.  
  
"Finally! We made it Meta Knight!" She cheered as the old war veteran walked up to them and looked downward. It was in view but something didn't seem right. He had a bad feeling that they were in more trouble now then they were when in the forest. They cheered as they ran down the hill to the town with Meta Knight and the two knights following. Sword began to feel uneasy as they closed in on the town. He didn't see any activity around it and it seemed odd.  
  
"What's wrong?" Blade walked over to where the kids had stopped in their tracks. They were staring into the village with horror all over their faces. Blade looked in the direction the kids were staring and gasped. The town was almost completely destroyed. From the hilltop they couldn't see it but now since they were almost in town it was clear. Sword slowly walked to the entrance of the village. The fires were out but it still looked horrible.  
  
"Horrible..." Meta Knight walked into the devastated town. There was nothing left  
  
"So much for the next town..." Blade mumbled.  
  
Turning to Sword, Meta Knight asked. "Where's the nearest town from here..."  
  
"Tree Top Village..." Sword answered as he started to walk into town. He couldn't get over what might have happened. It looked as if there was a battle but he didn't remember there being any reports of a village being attacked.  
  
After looking around, Meta Knight turned to the group that followed him. "We will stop for a short time, then we must get going again."  
  
Blade followed with a frightened Kirby close behind. Tiff ran up to her friends as she followed them in the town with Tuff sticking close to his sister. Tiff looked around the town as they walked.  
  
"This place... it's so creepy..." She said, hugging herself. Kirby mewed as he too looked around at the charred buildings.  
  
"Meta Knight... We're all very tired. Maybe we should stay here for the night..." Sword said, stopping and looking at Meta Knight  
  
"I understand you're all exhausted, but we need to get going. If we stay in one place too long that creature will be on us again," Meta Knight explained to the group. He didn't want to risk their safety too long.  
  
Tuff groaned and rubbed his feet "But we're so tired, Meta Knight...." the boy complained. The journey was long and had had nothing to eat since dinner.  
  
Sword was silent. MK was right but he knew if that they came across the monster again they would have no strength to fight it.  
  
"Sword is right. We can't keep carrying them when the kids get tired." Blade pointed out. "We need rest as much as they do," he sighed in exhaustion. Kirby sat down wherever he could find a place. He tried to rest as much as could from the journey.  
  
"Sit down and rest up. In one hour we're heading off again." Meta Knight looked behind him to the kids. He was growing worried with each minute and really didn't want to give he beast a chance to catch up. He began to look around his surroundings as if trying to get his bearings. Walking over to the nearest house that was still standing; Meta Knight climbed to the top and looked onward.  
  
Tiff collapsed next to Kirby and sighed in relief that she could rest. She looked over next to her, setting her eyes on a very exhausted Kirby. Neither of them had ever been in this type of situation before. Turning to the other side, her brother was sprawled on the ground on his back. He seemed just as tired, as Kirby was which wasn't anything different. Considering how much running around the kids did back home she wasn't surprised that fatigue was overwhelming them.  
  
Before sitting down himself, Sword glanced over at Meta Knight who was still keeping a look out. Sword didn't understand why they couldn't rest. They had some distance between them and the monster, Luka. Looking over across from where he was sitting was Blade who was leaned back and relaxed the best he could. The two long life friends looked at each other. Conflict filled both their eyes, as they both understood where the other was standing.  
  
Sword was retaliating against Meta Knight for reasons that were logical. They were tired and must rest. They need sleep to regain their strength in case Luka decided to catch up with them. There was no way that they could fight in their present condition. However, Blade stood firm by Meta Knight, doing what he ordered without question. Sword felt it was best that Blade was staying on the sidelines on this. The two friends were like brothers, always wanting what was best for the other. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tiff watching Meta Knight. This would be the first time the kids really seeing Meta Knight in a defensive action.  
  
Tiff watches the old knight with curiosity, she knew he had to sleep or get tired some time. Every one does at one point. Sighing, she shakes her head. "Doesn't he ever get tired...?"  
  
"I don't know... And I really don't care..." Sword replied. He was obviously annoyed at his leader for ignoring his advised and insisting in moving forward.  
  
There was a loud growl as Kirby rubbed his tummy indicating he was getting hungry. Normally he would just get up and look for food; however, in this case he didn't want to. The atmosphere scared him and he didn't want to leave the safety of the group. He knew danger all too well and having this knowledge, he knew going off on his own could mean life or death.  
  
Upon hearing the growl, Tiff looked down at her friend. "C'mon Kirby, I'll help you find something to eat."  
  
Tuff smiled at his sister and Kirby from where he was lying down.  
  
"Maybe Meta-Knight has something to eat." the boy chuckled. Listening to his surroundings, Sword heard the children talk about food. He was getting hungry as well but the children needed to eat.  
  
"You kids stay there... Me and Blade will go look." Sword said getting up.  
  
"Poh-yo!" Kirby smiled. Sword headed over to the house MK was at. "Meta Knight!" he called to him. Meta Knight looked downward to Sword not leaving his perch.  
  
"The next town is only a few hours away. We should be able to make it there by sunrise." Tiff sits back down in a different spot neat Meta Knight. The knight's presence made her feel safe despite the fact they were running. Kirby walks over to her and nuzzles her hand while the girl rested. Smiling, she rubs the little pink puffball's head.  
  
"Well the kids are hungry. Me and Blade are going to look for some food." the young fighter told him. "We need to get them something to eat before we go."  
  
"All right. I found some small animals roaming over there," pointing to a small field, Meta Knight continues, "Be back soon, because we need to head out." Silently Sword moves to the area Meta Knight had pointed. His loyal friend walked with his to the field. When Sword was sure they were out of site from Meta Knight, Sword pulled aside. "I'm going to try and find something the kids can have something to snack on..."  
  
"Sword... Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean Me-" Blade began to say with concern but was cut off by Sword.  
  
"You just get the animals..." Sword turned and headed into a building.  
  
Picking up the hungry Kirby and putting him on her lap, Tiff looked around again. Tremors went down the small girl's spine. The town was more than just a ghost town. It was bare as a skeleton. Frames of building were showing as well as the interior of houses and shops. No bodies were sighted but then again they could have been buried under the debris or maybe the people were able to escape.  
  
"This place is so creepy... what happened here..?" her soft voice asked. Did the monster Luka attack this place? If not, than who? Kirby sat quietly on Tiffs lap as she thought. He had to admit this place was freaky. Glancing over to Tuff, Kirby noted how the boy was just too tired to care what was going on. This whole running around was beginning to be just too much. With a sigh the little puffball leaned back into Tiff extracting her from her thoughts. Smiling the little girl hugged her friend.  
  
The old knight looked up to the stars, trying to figure out what course of action he should take next. Luka was closing in on them and he was on his way fast. His mind wandered back to the fight, the battle Luka had won. He never met a monster with so much swordsman talent. This fact was very troubling. This could be it for the group and Kirby.  
  
The kids knew the old soldier as the best. They never knew a time where he had lost a fight to a monster, except to Wolfwrath. The war veteran closed his eyes as anxiety started to set into his system. The growing conflict with Sword was concerning him. The bond they had was starting to suffer and now the questioning of loyalty was growing in his mind. Meta Knight knew Sword's loyalty and didn't question it. It was his own loyalty to Sword he was starting to question. The situation that the king had put them in had made Meta Knight think more about the safety of Kirby and the kids. He hadn't even paid attention to what his followers needed.  
  
After awhile Blade came back with some animals in hand. It was a bit of a chore but he got it done. The animals weren't that big nevertheless they were suitable for eating. He walked over towards where the kids were with dinner. Tiff gagged when she saw the state of the animals. To her, eating animals the way there were was disgusting. Tuff on the other hand watched with interest as Blade started to clean the carcasses.  
  
"Tuff, do you think you can start the fire?" Blade asked the boy. Nodding, the child gathered wood and started to attempt to make a fire. Not so long after that, Sword came to the camp empty-handed.  
  
Upon seeing the return of Sword, Meta Knight leapt down from the rooftop and landed softly on the ground. Walking over to the young fighters he looked at their accomplishments.  
  
"Good job Blade. This should be enough to hold us over until we reach the next town." Meta Knight inspected the food as Blade was still cleaning. Turning to Sword. "And what did you catch?"  
  
"I... seem to be lousy at hunting..." he said lowering his head as he lied to Meta Knight's face. He didn't want to make things harder than it already was. However, he could see how Meta Knight saw of him. There they were, in danger of being killed and Sword was failing and complaining. Meta Knight shook his head with a sigh.  
  
"We can't a ford to fail in simple tasks. You must work harder if we all are going to survive," he explained to Sword. The young soldier's eyes widened as he heard what Meta Knight told him. How can he say that to him? What makes him think he hasn't been working hard? He had to get away and think. This was just too much for him to handle at that moment. Quickly, Sword walked past Meta Knight and to where Blade was starting to cook the food.  
  
Kirby looked at Sword with a sign of sorrow on his face. He felt bad for the knight that was trying his best. Even at his young age, Kirby could sense what was going on. He may not understand it, but he knew though. Tiff also felt their friend was doing his best. There was just so much he can do and Tiff understood this.  
  
"We will have to get going soon. We can't let Luka gain too much ground." Looking into the direction of the town, the old knight sighed with both concern and relief. Once they were at the town Luka would have more trouble getting to them. It was getting there that concerned him.  
  
"It's almost done Meta Knight," Blade said. Sword watched Blade cook over the fire. The fire danced before him helping him retreat to his thoughts. The glow of the flames pranced around the armor of his friend and on him. He still wanted of leaving the group for awhile to calm down. He was still riled up from his predecessors. Turning around, he quietly left the group. Seeing this Meta Knight watched his follower walk away.  
  
"Don't stray too far. We have to leave shortly," he reminded him. Sword responded with only a nod.  
  
"Hey, that smells good, Blade!" Tuff said as he waited patiently for the food to be done.  
  
"If Sword doesn't make it back in time to eat, save some for him," Meta Knight said, sitting down by the fire. After a few more minutes, Blade examined the food.  
  
"It's ready, dig in!" He grabbed a piece and started to eat. The kids followed him in eating while Meta Knight sat and watched. He never took off his mask. He would rather wait for them to sleep before eating.  
  
Sword walked just outside of the village where there was a lake with clean fresh water. He had a cup in his hand, which he found in one of the houses he had searched earlier. Once at the lake his reflection showed how he looked and felt from the journey he was on. Putting the cup in the water to wash it off, the young knight thought about what's been happening lately. It seemed Meta Knight was dismissing his advice and just had getting to safety on his mind instead of what would the logical thing to do. He took a sip of water from the now clean cup and tasted the sweet refreshing water.  
  
"Sword wasn't looking for animals with you, was he?" Meta Knight finally asked. Blade froze for a few seconds before replying.  
  
"He went into the houses to see if he could find some snacks for the kids while I went hunting'..." He said turning to MK  
  
The old man shook his head. What was he thinking? Yes, he's means well, but his actions got him nothing. This was getting worse than he originally thought. Suddenly, there was a sound of someone approaching. The knight sprung to his feet and spun around to see Sword returning with objects in his hand. They were canteens, filled with water. He brought one for everybody. Smiling under his mask, Meta Knight found contentment for the fact Sword just proved him wrong.  
  
"Good job."  
  
"Thanks..." Sword walked around giving his friends and partners a canteen.  
  
"We should get going soon, we're still being hunted." Meta Knight wrapped his cape around himself. Kirby and children stretched and yawned. They looked and felt beat from the travel. Sword could feel for them. He felt exhausted from walking non-stop. However, there's a difference. The kids could be carried. With out warning, Sword picked the little girl in his arms.  
  
"You don't have to carry me, Sword," Tiff said sleepily.  
  
"Don't worry about it, Tiff," he said in a soft voice.  
  
"But... You're tired to, if not more so." Her eyes were half-open from being so tired.  
  
"Maybe so... But you need your strength in case Luka catches up to us."  
  
"You... you won't have enough strength to fight..." Tiff said with a yawn  
  
"I know..." Sword said softly as he started to walk.  
  
Tiff wraps her arms tenderly around his neck. "Yes but..." sighs softly. " Please try not to overexert yourself..."  
  
"We won't..."  
  
Blade picked up Tuff who quickly fell asleep in his arms. Meta Knight had Kirby, also asleep. The group marched endlessly out of the village. Their feet ached with each step they took. Sword felt like he was about to collapse from exhaustion.  
  
"I don't know how much longer I can take this..." Sword whispered to Blade as he walked. Blade nodded in agreement.  
  
"I feel like I'm going to collapse..." Sword complained to Blade softly. The young adult puffed and forced his body to move, it was at the point where Sword didn't care, and he just wanted rest. He looked onward to Meta Knight. The old coot marched on as if he was immune to fatigue. It wasn't far what he was doing. Finally after an hour Sword called out to him.  
  
"Meta Knight..." Sword called.  
  
"Yes, Sword?" Looking back, the old veteran saw how exhausted Sword and Blade were.  
  
"We need to rest..." he said panting like a mad man. Blade looked at Sword then back at Meta Knight.  
  
"I know you're tired, but if we can just get to the next town the children will be safe." he turns and continues walking.  
  
"Meta Knight you're going to kill us!" Sword's voice rang out into the night.  
  
"Sword..." Stopping at the sound of his friend's voice, Meta Knight turned around to face Sword. The young soldier gasping for air as was his partner. They couldn't keep going.  
  
"What happens then when we stop, go to sleep, and get attacked in the middle of the night?" the older fighter asked.  
  
"What happens if we get attacked in our present state?" Sword's voice was shaky. Meta Knight looked at the ground; his follower made a good point. He looked over at Blade to hear any of his comments. There were none, Blade didn't want to get involved with the conflict.  
  
"All right, lets find somewhere safe to rest for the night. But we're heading off again first thing in the morning." Meta Knight finally said. He saw a spark of relief in Sword's eyes.  
  
"Thank you," he said with a small heave. Finally, they were going to rest. They were going to sleep. He quickly walked past his master to find a place they could rest.  
  
Meta Knight watched Sword head towards a group of trees with rocks around them. Turning to Blade, he acted as if he were going to say something. Most likely about Sword and his attitude, but shook his head. He motioned for Blade to follow.  
  
Sword found a small cave like lair in the roots of a tree surrounded by rocks. It looked good for shelter and for a hiding place.  
  
"How about here?" glancing over his shoulder he saw Meta Knight approaching. The knight nodded in approval before he watched Sword climb in. Blade walked past him and into the sanctuary. Finally, Meta Knight climbed in, as he did he saw Sword lying on the ground already asleep. Tiff was sat down on the other side of the cave. Blade was putting Tuff down next to him then headed over to Sword and lay down next to him. The old soldier lay Kirby down with the rest of the kids before he took his place by the entrance. Sitting down and leaning against the wall, Meta Knight rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. With a deep sigh, he closed his eyes.  
  
The sky was shades of orange as the sun was setting. He could feel his feet hurting and the exhaustion that was invading him but pressed on. What the knight didn't feel was the metal from his mask. It was a time before his mask made its appearance.  
  
"Don't you ever get tired? You keep this up you'll have us both on our knees," a young female voice told him. It was so familiar to him that he spun around to face the one talking to him. It was a young girl about his height looking back. Her ears were lined with crystal white feathers and she wore a light green breastplate. The sword she was carrying was much similar to his sword, which told him right away that she was a Star Warrior.  
  
"We can't risk stopping. Those monsters could be following us and if they ever catch up, it could be the end for us," answer a young male. The girl shook her head in disagreement.  
  
"If they catch us in our present state then we both will get killed. Neither of us is capable of fighting. We should rest somewhere, like in those trees." she said pointing to a dense leafed tree. The boy took her hand and started to continue his march.  
  
"We have no time to rest. We ha-" he stopped short as soon as he saw the shadowed figure in front of them. It's eyes were bloody red and starred straight at the small blue Star Warrior. The child starred back at it in fear, as he knew whom it was.  
  
With a gasp, Meta Knight leapt to his feet and looked around frantically. He felt his mask sticking to his face as sweat ran off his body. It was a dream, his biggest mistake that coasted his face. His breathing calmed down as he leaned against the wall of the entrance. The memory of the girl came back to him as well as a bunch of others. The memory of her name finally reached him. Nina was her name; they grew up together as well as trained together. An overwhelming feeling covered his senses. It was grief; it finally reached him that he'll never see her again. All this time of fighting and protecting Kirby, he was never really able to retreat to his memories.  
  
It pained him to feel the grief now, after he remembered. He had forgotten her so easily that he felt ashamed. The knight looked outside of the entrance and watched the sun rise. The memory of Nina walking up behind him to rub his back relaxed him in some ways. He missed her touch, her voice. Meta Knight turned to look upon his followers and the kids. They still needed rest but they couldn't stay there any more. Silently the war veteran walked to Sword and Blade. With a gentle nudge, Sword woke up.  
  
"Is the sun up already?" Sword opened one eye and looked up at Meta Knight. His leader responded with a nod before he went and nudged Blade. The two sat up and stretched a bit before forcing themselves up to their feet.  
  
"Don't wake the children. They still need to regain their energy." Picking up Kirby, Meta Knight walked over to the entrance. "Lets get going." Sword, still very tired, picked up Tiff and follows Meta Knight. Blade picked up Tuff in pursuit.  
  
"We'll rest more once we arrive. I'm sure the villagers won't mind." The old veteran marched forward towards to the village. Hours passed as they marched endlessly across the field. On the way the kids woke up and decided to walk to help Blade and Sword get a load off. Soon they reached Timber Canyon. One of its purposes was to separate King Dedede's kingdom from some of the monarch free lands. It was a steep and wide canyon, which would make it difficult to climb down and up it. This worried the old warrior greatly. How would they get the kids across?  
  
"We'll have to find away to get across. It's too dangerous for the kids to climb down it." He brought his hand to his chin in thought.  
  
"Meta Knight!" Sword cried out unsheathing his sword.  
  
Luka was standing only a few feet behind them.  
  
Meta Knight spun around to see Luka's smirk. Quickly unsheathing his sword, the knight was prepared to fight. Blade stepped in front of the kids making sure Luka didn't have a clear shot at them.  
  
"We must protect the children!" he called out, charging. Meta Knight threw everything he had at the beast. None were effective against it, and he didn't understand why. Then it hit him; he was still exhausted and didn't have the energy to fight. The dream was a warning from his past.  
  
The kids stood back as Meta Knight struggled with Luka. What could they do? They couldn't fight it without Meta Knight. Tiff gasped as she saw Kirby about to dash toward the fight. Before he had a chance though, Tiff grabbed him and picked him up.  
  
"No Kirby! It's too dangerous for you!"  
  
"Sword what should we do?" Tuff asked the young knight.  
  
"Run! Get out of here before he decides to come after you!" Sword said as he got ready to aid his master.  
  
"But where should we go?" Fear and worry shook Tiff's voice.  
  
"Anywhere but here!" Sword cried out as he advanced towards Luka. The kids didn't have time to rebel or to argue. They ran as fast as their little feet could carry them along the canyon's edge.  
  
Luka was attacking hard at Meta Knight. The poor knight couldn't even use Sword Beam. Sword was right; Meta Knight's choice was a horrible mistake just like in the past. What will the cost be now? Would it be his life? The knight didn't care, as long as Kirby and the kids were safe. Meta Knight leapt into the air and brought his sword down on Luka; however, it never reached the creature. Luka swung his huge talon as a bat and swatted the war veteran against a tree.  
  
The two followers only heard the bark crack and shatter as Meta Knight's body struck it. They watched his body fall in slow motion to the ground. The soldier struggled to his feet and exhaustedly held up his sword a few inches in the air. The glow in his eyes faded as the whole world spun and finally went dark. His body fell face first into the ground.  
  
Authors note: Finally finished with chapter 3. Now to rant a little bit, I'm not that good with making conflicts between characters or am I good with making fighting scenes. Although I do hope you like it. I also would like to take this moment to announce that there will be character profiles for the characters in this story on my web page. On top of that, this fic will be turned into an online comic soon. I'm currently making some strips now. 


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